What Is A Sun Tunnel®?

Sun Tunnel® is the brand name of a tubular skylight, created by the Danish company Velux. Sun Tunnels are generally used in rooms and spaces where a traditional skylight is not feasible to install due to roof construction (trusses) or if the construction of a light shaft would be too difficult or expensive. Since a Sun Tunnel doesn’t require the framing, insulation, drywall, plastering and painting work that a typical skylight installation requires, the cost is substantially less. Also, there is virtually no construction mess in the house. This includes interior rooms, attics, hallways, laundry rooms, verandas, or areas above staircases.

How Sun Tunnels Work: One end of the Sun Tunnel is mounted on the roof through an opening that faces the Sun, and allows the sunlight to travel through its highly reflective body to the other end, which usually opens up in a room inside the house. There are two types of Sun Tunnels; rigid and flexible. The rigid Sun Tunnel has a shaft that is comprised of two elbow joints and one telescopic tunnel with super reflective coating in its interior, which provides up to a 98% internal reflection rate. Flexible Sun Tunnels can be bent around attic obstructions like pipes and wires. These are made of reflective flexible tubing that can extend up to 12 feet in length. Both types of Sun Tunnels have a diffuser, flashing, and other accessories, depending on the requirements for the type of roofing your home has, whether it is flat or profile. The pitched flashing is used when you wish to capture daylight from all angles. For roofs facing directly south, the low profile flashing works well and blends well with the roofline.

Features of Sun Tunnels: The flexible Sun Tunnel has a diameter of 14 inches or 21 inches, whereas the rigid Sun Tunnel comes with a diameter of 10 inches or 14 inches. The installation process of a Sun Tunnel is much easier than a full-scale skylight, and can take as little as 3 - 4 hours, depending upon the location and other factors. It is leak proof and has a light-gathering dome at the top. An additional optional kit also enables the Sun Tunnel to be a source of illumination at night as well. The Sun Tunnel is an innovative and technologically advanced daytime lighting solution that brings bright, full-spectrum natural light into your home, helping to lower energy costs while offering all of the health benefits that come with sunlight. Back to Skylight Articles